Hydraulic brake operating mechanism



April 24, 5- I J. G. INGRES 2,374,545

HYDRAULIC BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1942 :11 vucmkm Patented Apr. 24, 1945 HYDRAULIC BRAKE OPERATING CHANISM Jeannot G. Ingres, Detroit, Mich, aslinor to Automatic Shifters, Inc., Richmond, 711., a corporation of Virginia Application June 23, 1942, Serial No. 448,110

(01. Gil-54.5)

3 Claims.

This invention relates to brake operating mechanisms, and more particularly to a combined manual and power operating mechanism for the hydraulic brakes of motor vehicles. Numerous devices have been provided forutiliz ing movement of a vehicle brake pedal to energize a motor to supply the force necessary to apply the brakes, and many of these mechanisms are of the booster type wherein a part of the force is applied manually through the foot of the operator and in proportion to the power supplied by the power device. Many of these devices are highly advantageous in operation but until recently most of them' relied upon the use of links, levers, rods, etc, in the system, .which frequently raised serious problems of installation due to the lack of space in a motor vehicle chassis. In recent years improvements on mechanisms of the type referred to have been developed wherein the manual or foot power and the power for operating .the valve mechanism for energizing the motor has been delivered in the form of hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder of the vehicle brake. Such arrangement permits the use of pipes which eliminated problems inherent in the mechanical connection of the parts by levers, etc, This arrangement also greatly reduced the cost of manufacture of the mechanisms.

The power devices or brakes of this type are connected to the brake cylinders of the wheels by pipe connections which also involve no installa tionproblem since the pipes can be bent as desired. Therefore, it was wholly possible to mount the power device as a unit wherever desired, regardless of its location relative to the brake pedal or to the brake cylinders of the wheels.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of power brake mechanism which involves all of the advantages of the later types of mechanisms referred to but wherein the use of a substantial number of .relatively small expensive parts is eliminated together .under foot pressure directly to the parts to take up slack therein prior to the functioning of the motor is eliminated, the present apparatus providing the same results without any by-pass or device.

with the labor involved in installing such parts.

. to the greatly reduced possibility of failure because of the use of a minimum number of parts.

A further object, is to provide a mechanism of this character wherein the provision of a by-pass pipe around the motor for conveying brake fluid A further object is to provide such a device which is so constructed that initial pressure on the foot pedal tends to take up play between the brake shoes and the brake drums, followed by the energization of the motor to generate the force for applying the brakes, the parts being so constructed asto provide a fine accurate response of the motor in a follow-up action with respect to movement of the foot pedal.

A further object is to provide a novel brake construction wherein a predetermined portion of the work is performed by the power device and the remainder by the foot of the operator, and to provide a novel structure wherein exact "feel is provided for the brake pedal without the use of pressure responsive diaphragms or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention. In this showing- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the motor unit, the brake pedal, master cylinder, the brake cylinders of the wheels and Q the several pipe connections being diagrammati cally represented in connection therewith,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on line 22 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a detail fragmentary sectional view on line 3-4 of Figure l, and

Figure '4 is a fragmentary central longitudinal sectional view of the pressure chamber end of a motor showing a slight modification.

Referring to Figure l, the numeral l0 designates a conventional vehicle brake'pedal pivotally supported as at H and having its lower end connected as at i2 to the plunger rod I13 of a conventional master cylinder H. The structure referred to forms no part per se of the present invention, and itwlll be apparent that the .master cylinder ll isprovidedwith the means (notshown) commonly employed for replenishing fluid in the braking system as slight leakage takes place over along period of time. The wheels of the vehicle are provided with conventional brake means (not shown) and conventional wheel cylinders are employed for receiving fluid under pressure to app y the brakes. In Figure 1, four of these cylinders are employed, one pair being designated by the numeral l5 and the other pair by the numeral 6. One pair of these cylinders is for the front vehicle wheels and the other for the rear wheels, but it will become apparent that the present system is fully operative regardless of the number of the vehicle wheels in connection with which hydraulic brakes are employed.

"The motor unit embodying the present invention is indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. This'unit comprises a cylinder l8 having heads l9 and.28 secured thereto in any conventional manner. The head 19 is provided with'an integral axial tubular extension 2| the extremity of which is provided with an inlet port 22 through which fluid flows from the master cylinder l4 by means of a pipe line diagrammatically shown in Figure 1 and indicated by the numeral 23. The head 26 is also provided with an integral axial tubular extension 24 and the space within this extension constitutes a fluid pressure chamber 25, as will become apparent. Fluid displaced from this chamber under pressure flows through a port 26 in the extremity of the extension 24,

and thence through pipe lines diagrammatically T shown in Figure l and generally indicated by the numeral 21 to the severalbrakecylinders, suitable branch pipes providing for the distribution of the fluid to the brake cylinders.

A- piston indicated ase. whole by the numeral 28 is arranged in the cylinder 48. This piston comprises a rigid disk 28 which may be welded to or integral with a plunger sleeve 38 one endof which extends intothe'pressure chamber as shown in Figure 1. Such-end of the plunger sleeve 30 is provided with a double-lipped packing 3| for a purpose to be described. The peripheral portion of the disk 29 is provided with a leather or similar packing cup 32. A flat ring 33 is arranged against the radial flange of the cup 32 and a retaining ring 34 has its radial flange arranged against the ring 33. Rivets or other fastening elements 35 secure the elements referred-to together, and an expansion ring 36 when the partsare in normal position. The inner lip of the cup 3| engages the projecting end of the plunger to seal it against leakage, and to further seal against leakage, the plunger 38 is provided with an annular groove 48 to receive suitable packing 4|. The plunger is further provided with an annular groove 42 forming a space 43 in fixed communication with the right hand end of the cylinder |8 as viewed in Figure 1 through radial ports 44 in the plunger sleeve 30. Such end of the cylinder has its head 26- provided with a port 45 in constant communication through a pipe line'diagrammatically indicated at 46, with the intake manifold 41 of'the vehicle engine as a source of partial vacuum for operating the motor |1.

The left hand end of. the groove 42 is defined by a land 48 adjacent which is an annular groove 49 (Figures 1 and 2) communicating through ports 58 with an air passage 5| which is'always open to communication with the atmosphere in a manner to be described. To the left of the disk 23. as viewed in Figure l the plunger sleeve 36 is providing constant limited communication be: tween the left hand end of the cylinder and the vacuum space providedby the groove 42. Thus the piston 28 will be vacuum suspended, a con-f stant degree of vacuum existing on both sides of the piston. Upon movement of the plunger 38 to the right as viewed in Figure I communica-- tion between the ports 52 and groove 42 will be initially cut oif, followed by the establishment. I of communication between the ports 52 and groove 48 to admit air into the left hand eudoij I v the Cylinder l8.

It will be apparent that the spring 31 urges" the piston 28 to the left in Figure 1 when pressures are balanced in the ends of the cylinder. and means is provided for limiting the movement. of the piston to the "off" position. The disk 23 maybe provided with studs 53 engageablegby stop screws 54 threaded through the head and;

provided with jam nuts 55. Thus the piston-as a whole will be limited .in its movement to 'a position in which the piston will be vacuum 'sus pended in the manner described.

The head I8 is provided with a packing asf: sembly 56 which may be of any desired type-and seals the space in the left hand end of the cylinder |8 from a space 51 surrounding a portion of the plunger 38 within the extension 2|. The

space 51 communicates withthe atmosphere through a port 58 to which is connected a small" air cleaner 53, and the plunger 38 has a radial port 60 connecting the passage 5| with the space The left hand end of the plunger 38 as viewed in Figure 1 is provided with spaced flanges 6| between which is arranged a doublelipped packing ring 62 to seal'the space 51 from the interior of the extreme left end of the-ex- I tension'2l in which pressure is developed upon the introduction of fluid through the port 22.

The plunger 38 is provided with a locking ring 63 arranged i a groove 64 formed in the plunger. 'An annular ring 65 surrounds the plunger in engagement with the locking ring 63 and is normally spaced from the adjacent end of the plunger tube 38 to provide for the necessary move- 'ment f the plunger 38 as a valve element and to provide lost motion which may be taken up vto move the plunger tube 30 by foot pressure upon a failure of power in the motor. A compression spring 65' is arranged between the ring 65 and the piston structure to urge the valve of the motor H in the event there should be any, slight tendency for the plunger tube 30 or packing cup 32 to stick.

The plunger 38 is provided with a fluid passage 61' extending from end to end thereof as shown .tions of Figure 1.

'theextension 2 I.

in Figure 1. A rod 61 extends through this pas sage and'has one end engageable' with the end of the extension 2| to unseat a check valve 88 when the plunger 38 is at its extremeleft hand limit of movement. An enlargement has very slight clearance with the passage 81', for example .001 inch, for a purpose to be described. The passage 81 is solely for the purpose of replenishing fluid leaking from the pressure end of the system, that is, the brake cylinders l5 and I3,

pipe connections 21 and pressure chamber 25.

In Figure 4 of the drawing a slightly modifled form of the invention is shown in which all of the elements except the plunger and packing cup are the same as shown in the corresponding por- Accordingly the elements which are the same have been indicated by the same reference characters. The plunger sleeve 30 ing element which"extends entirely across the end of the plunger sleeve,'closing the bore therethrough. Within the plunger sleeve 30 is arranged a plunger II which is identical with the plunger 38 except that it is not provided with the passage 81 and associated elements; it terminates at the end of the plunger 30 against the cup 10; and it is not provided with any packing correspondingto the packing 4| in Figure 1 since such packing is unnecessary, as will become-apparent. The packing cup Ill is formed of rubber or similar deformable material so that movement of the plunger H to operate the valve elements is permitted and such movement initially deforms the portion of the cup 10 engaged by the plunger II to initially displace fluid from the pressure chamber 25.

The operation of the form of the mechanism shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive is as follows:

The parts normally occupy the positions-shown in Figure 1 under which conditions the brakes are completely released. The ports 52 are in slight communication with the valve groove 42 and with the interior of the right hand end of the cylinder 18, and such end of the cylinder is always in communication with the source. of'va'cuum through port 45 and pipe line 46. Accordingly the piston 28 will be vacuum suspended.

When the brakes are applied the initial .de-

with the valve groove 49. Air will then flow through the air cleaner and port 58 and into the space 51 and thence through port 60, passage 8|,

ports 50, groove 49 and ports 52 into the left hand end of the cylinder 48 as viewed in Figure 1. Di!- ferential pressure thus will be established in the motor H to move the piston 28 toward the right.

Under such conditions the piston will move against the tension of the spring 31 and the studs 53 will .move out of contact with the stop screws 54. The spring 31 is tensioned only suiliciently to move the piston 28 and the elements connected thereto back to their normal positions when the brake is released. The movement of the piston 28 by the differential pressures established on opposite sides thereof moves the right hand end of the plunger sleeve (Figure 1) into the pressure chamber 25 to displace brake fluid therefrom into the brake'system to provide for power application of the brakes in addition to the.

forces exerted by the foot of the operator in moving the plunger 38 to move the end 39 thereof into the pressure chamber 25.

In other words, two elements displace fluid from the chamber 25, namely, the end 38 of the plunger 38 and the corresponding end of the plunger sleeve 30. Thus it will be apparent that part of the braking action is performed by the operator and part by the motor and the proportion of the total work performed by the operator will be determined' by the relative areas of the plunger end 39 and the corresponding end of the plunger sleeve 30. In the illustrated embodiment; of the invention, the area of the plunger end 38 is approximately per cent. of the cross sectional area. of the pressure chamber 25 and accordingly the operator will exert 40 per cent.

- of the total braking force. It will be obvious that cylinder through pipe line 23 into the end of Thus pressure will be built up to move the plunger 38 toward the right a viewed in Figure 1 Initial movement of the plunger 38 accomplishes 'two results. In the first place such movement will move the end 38 of the plunger into the pressure chamber 25 to displace brake fluid therefrom through pipe connections 21- into the several brake cylinders I5 and I8,- thus immediately at least partiallrtaking up play between the conven onal brake shoes and brake drums proportionate work done by the operator is purely a matter of design.

The pressure built up in the chamber 25, and consequently in the braking system, reacts against the plunger end 39 to resist displacement of braking fluid from the master cylinder H by;

operation of the pedal l0.

resisted to adegree proportional to thepressure in the chamber 25, and accordingly the brake pedal is provided with an accurate proportional feel underall conditions.

The valve mechanism illustrated provides a perfect follow-up action of the piston 28 with res'pect to movement of the pedal I0. Any move- (not shown particularly if thebrake pedal is depressed at a rapid rate. In this connection it will be noted that while the motor Il will-be energized very quickly upon depression of the brake pedal, as described below, there is a suillcient time from the pressure chamber 25 to at least partialiy take up play between 4 I the brake shoes and brake drums.

In the second place initial movement of the plunger 38 moves the valve groove 42 completely out of communication with the ports 52 and then moves these ports slightly into communication ment imparted in the manner described to the plunger 38 will be accompanied by movement of Thus it will be apparent that movement of the pedal will always be the piston 28 to the same extent. Whenmovement of the plunger 38 stops, the piston 28 will move only to the slight extent necessary for the land 48 to close communication between the air groove 49 andports 52, whereupon movement of the piston will stop. Any slight additional movement of the piston 28 if it tends to overrun a proper position with respect to the plunger 38 will crack the ports 52 to the vacuum space 42, thus instantlyreducing the diflerential pressures acting on the piston 28 and arresting movement thereof.

, n the pedal I0 is released for movement toward oil position, the springs of the wheel cylinders will displace brake fluid through the lines 21 into the chamber 25 and the plunger 38 will move toward the left in'Figure l to displace fluid through port 22 back into the master cylinder H. The valve land 48 will move to open the ports 52 to the vacuum groove 42' to exhaust air from the left end of the cylinder [8 whereupon the piston 28 will be moved by the spring 81 toward its oil position, The previously described follow-up action will then be reversed, the piston 28 moving to an extent corresponding to movement of the plunger 38. If the brake pedal is rapidly entirely released, the locking ring 88 will be engaged by the right hand end of the groove 42 (Figure i). This operation limits movement of the valve plunger with respect to the plunger tube 38 to prevent the body of the valve to the right of the groove 42 from closing the ports 44. Thus it is impossible to disconnect the right hand end of the cylinder I8 from the vacuum space 42.

Similiarly rapid depression of the pedal ill will engage the ring 88 with the adjacent end of the sleeve 80 to prevent the air groove 49 from overrunning the ports 52. It is therefore impossible to operate the plunger 88 So rapidly as to prevent the admission of air from the groove 48 through the ports 82. In the event of a failure of power in the motor operation the plunger 88 will engage the ring 88 with the sleeve to operate the latter manually as a unit with the plunger 38.

In the oil position of the parts, movement of the piston 28 will be limited by the stop screws 84 while movement of the plunger 88 will be limited by engagement of the ring 88 against the cylinder head 19. In this connection it will be noted that upon the releasing of the brake the spring 81 urges the piston 28 toward the left as viewed in Figure 1 while the spring 85' acts against the ring 68 to urge the plunger 38 in the 'same direction. When the studs 88 contact with the screws 84 the plunger 88 will be approximately in the position necessary for the ring 88 to engage the cylinder head IS, the plunger being urged to the left by the spring 85'. When the i of the system without the necessity of providing a reservoir for such end of the system, As previously stated, the enlarged end 69 of the rod 81 has afvery slight clearance in the passage 81', this clearance preferably being approximately .001 inch. This clearance is suflicient for the seepage of brake fluid through the passage 81' to replace leakage losses inthe pressure end of the system.- The head 89 is provided so that upon initial depression of the brake pedal there will be no appreciable rush of brake fluid through the passage 81'. Initial depression .of the brake pedal practically instantaneously establishes the same pressure in the pressure end of the system as exists in the inlet end of the system between the master cylinder l4 and plunger and of plunger and piston reach their limits of movement referred to there is no pressure in the chamber 28 tending to urge the plunger 38 further to the left and accordingly the plunger will stop in the position shown in Figure 1. The adjustable screws 84 are provided so that the piston 28 may be stopped at the proper limit of movement to maintain slight communication between the ports 82 and vacuum space 43 so as tovacuum suspend the piston 28.

The passage 81', rod 81 and check valve 88 function to replenish fluid leaking from the pressure end of the system without having to provide means separate from the master cylinder for accomplishing this result. As is well known, the master cylinders of all'hydraulic vehicle brake systems are so constructed as to re-' plen'i'sh fluid leaking from the systems with which they are used. In the present device the plunger 38 and associated parts normally would prevent flow of brake fluid from the master cylinder into the pressure end of the system. The application of the brakes gradually results in a slight loss of fluid from the pressure end of the system and assuming that there 15 a slight loss at each application'of the brakes, the return springs of the brakes will displace fluid from the brake cylinders l8 and I8 through pipe line-5.21 into the chamber 28 wherrthe brakes are released, but the leakage will-prevent the brake return springs from returning the plunger 88 fully to its normal position. However, the spring 88' accomplishes this result and if leakage has occurred from the pressure end of-thesystem the least inclement of movement of the plunger 88 will crecourse no fluid will flow through the passage 81 when pressures are thus balanced. Moreover, immediately after initial movement of the plunger 38 the motor 11 will; be energized and movement of the piston 28 will generate much greater pressure in the pressure end ofthe system in which case fluid obviously cannot flow through the passage 81' into the chamber 28. Very slight movement of the plunger 38 is necessary to release the enlargement 88 from the end of the projection 21 and permit the valve 88 to seat, thus preventing reverse leakage of fluid from the pressure end of the system through the passage 81'.

As a matter of fact, the extremely slight leakage of fluid around the head 88 upon initial depression of the brake pedal usually is suilicient to charge the pressure end of the system with a very slightly greater amount of brake fluid to compensate for the amount of leakage ordinarily occurring during the following application of the Figure 4 is identical with that previously described 1 except that initial manual displacement of fluid from the chamber 28 takes place by the flexing of the central portion of the cup 10 by the adjacent end of the plunger 1|. This flexing can take place to an ample extent to provide for the operation of the valve elements, which are identical with that shown in Figure 1. 1

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present apparatus eliminates all use of mechanical linkages, etc., thus permitting the power unit to be located at any ,available position with respect to the vehicle. The piston unit and plunger 88 comprise only two relatively movable units and movement of the plunger to initially displace fluid from the chamber 28 eliminates the necessity for any by-pass pipe communicating between the spaces at the ends of the plunger. The construction also eliminates the use of a substantial number of relatively small parts previously used in an apparatus of this general nature. The

less chance of failure or derangement of parts because of the simplicity of the mechanism. In connection with the simplicity of the apparatus and the elimination of parts ordinarily employed to accomplish the same results, it will be noted that the present apparatus provides a brake pedal with highly accurate .feel without the use of diaphragms and chambers therefor responsive to varying pressures for resisting movement of the brake pedal to provide it with feel.

It is to be understood that the forms of the 'invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and-arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A brake operating mechanism for a hydraulic -vehicle brake system having hydraulic brake cylinders for the vehicle wheels and a pedal-eontrolled master cylinder, comprising a differential fluid pressure motor having a pressure movable unit therein, axial extensions projecting from master cylinder whereby fluid displaced therefrom will move said inner plunger to reduce the capacity of said pressure chamber for displacing fluid therefrom, and a, follow-up' valve mechanism for said motor formed as parts of said plungers, said other axial extension having a port communicating with a source of pressure fluid and said inner plunger having a fluid passage communicating at one end with said port and at its other end with said valve mechanism whereby operation of the latter controls pressures in said motor.

-2. A brake operating mechanism for a .hydraulic vehicle brake system having hydraulic brake cylinders for the vehicle wheels and a er having one end slidable in said tubular plunger and its other end slidable in the other axial extension, said other axial extension having its extremity communicating with the master cylinder one end of said motor being connected to a source of sub-atmospheric pressure, said inner plunger having an air passage through said other end thereof and said other axial extension being ported to communicate with said air passage, and a follow-up valve mechanism formed as parts of said plungers and adapted to assume normal relative positions disconnecting the other end of said motor from said air passage and connecting it to the flrst named end of said motor, said plungers being relatively movable to disconnect said other end of the motor from the first named end thereof and connect it to said air passage.

3. A brake operating mechanism for a hy-- draulic vehicle brake system having hydraulic extensions forming a pressure chamber compedal-controlled master cylinder, comprising a diiferential fluid pressure motor having a pres-, I sure movable'unit therein, axial extensions projecting from each end of said motor, one of said extensions forming a pressure chamber communimunicating with the brake cylinders, a tubular plunger carried by said pressure movable unit and V slidable into said pressure chamber, an inner plunger having one end slidable in said tubular plunger and its other end slidable in the other axial extension, said other axial extension having its extremity communicating with the master cylinder whereby fluid displaced therefrom will move said inner plunger to reduce the capacity of said pressure chamber thereby displacing fluid there from, said other axial extension having a port therethrough, said port and one end of said. motor being respectively connected to sources of diflernecting the other end of said motor from said fluid passage and connecting itto the first named end of said motor, said plungers being relatively movable to di connect said other end of the motor from the first named end thereof and connect it to said fluid passage.

merino-r a. means; 

